The 2016 Pokemon World Championships are Closed to the Public

Though typically open for public spectating, the 2016 Pokemon World Championships will be an exclusive affair. Perhaps it's because of the booming popularity of the Pokemon GO game, but this year's San Francisco event will only be available for public viewing via four online live streams provided through the Pokemon website.

Though Pokemon began as a kids' game, the battling aspect of the video games and trading card game have spawned some serious competition. At the 2016 Pokemon World Championships, players will vie for more than $500,000 in prizes. These prizes will be split between the Pokemon Trading Card Game, the Video Game World Championships, and (new this year,) the Pokken Tournament World Championships. The competitions are additionally divided by age group, so both kids and adults can play.